Transcript BRIEF HISTORY - Saint Francis Region, OFS: 2015 Serra Retreat

BRIEF HISTORY
OF THE
SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER
AND ITS RULES
OVERVIEW
The Franciscan Order has over 800 years of history. St.
Francis entered the penitential movement in the first decade of the
13th century. It was at St. John Lateran in Rome in 1209 that Pope
Innocent III authorized Francis and his followers to live the life of a
penitent and preach the Gospel. From this event sprang the three
Franciscan Orders established by St. Francis that, over time, brought
about a rebuilding of the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ which at
the time was falling into ruin. The rebuilding continues today. For us,
Secular Franciscans, it is clearly a Journey of Living faith: from the
Darkness of Sin to the Light of Ongoing Conversion and Growth in
Divine Wisdom; from Love of the world to Love of the Gospel; from
Interior War and Emptiness to Peace and Fullness of Joy in Christ
Within and without; and from the Noise of the World to the Silence of
Listening to the Divine Presence in our hearts.
This report presents a brief history of the Secular Franciscan
Order in the various periods of its development including its Rules.
I. PRE-FRANCIS ERA
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Penitential Movement
During the first five or six centuries of church history, members were
required to avoid serious sin. The penalty for serious sin was excommunication
from the community. However, one was allowed to rejoin the community on a
“second chance” very restrictive basis. This reconciliation required severe
penance such as lifelong fasting, abstinence from attending church functions and
from reception of the Eucharist, external displays of self-degradation like
wearing sack-cloths, and the like. In time, these strict rules became canon law,
with the bishop authorizing and overseeing reconciliation.
Changes in restorative penance in Europe and Asia were influenced by
Celtic monks who practiced “private” penance: the priest would assign a
penance at his discretion, the severity in accordance with the gravity of the sin.
About the same time there were those who volunteered to become
penitents, with the same obligations of the canonical penitents, in order to
become holy – to live like Jesus and the Apostles. These volunteers were the
precursor of the penitential movement, as embraced by St. Francis of Assisi.
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Two kinds of Penitents – the Public Penitents and the Voluntary
Penitents
 The public penitents made expiation for their sins in the
manner prescribed for days, months, and years as established by
the Penitentials
 The voluntary penitents remained in the Ordo Poenitentium
through the Middle Ages.
 The same concept of conversion, as the internal and external
act by which the Christians, not weighed down by serious sin,
and therefore not obliged to do so, publicly decided to abandon
the way of life which he had formerly led and to devote himself
to God in one of the various forms of penitential life, reveals
that the ultimate goal of such a choice was to make God one’s
point of reference and the very reason for life; this end was
obviously very spiritual. This interior decision, however, was
also externally visible by means of the “penitential habit.”
 The dominant element that seemed to be always present in the
various religious movements of the twelfth century was the
continuation and diffusion of the desire to return to the gospel
life of the apostles, considered as the norm and model of
poverty and of evangelization for the whole Church which set
the tone for the “new penitential climate” of the century.
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The Itinerant Preachers
At the same time, especially in the first fifth of
the twelfth century, the concept of apostolic life
acquired a new element in addition to that of
poverty, namely, preaching, especially in an
itinerant lifestyle.
The first itinerant preachers, canons regular,
were the most significant examples of this. They
left the canonical life first to become hermits and
later to begin their itinerant preaching in strictest
poverty, precisely because at that point they felt
that these two elements – a life of poverty and
preaching – were the essential components of a
truly apostolic life.
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Other Penitential Groups
There were those groups of penitents who preceded
Francis, whose penitential lives were approved by the Holy
See. Among the more famous were the Waldensians, started
by Peter Waldo, a rich merchant from Lyons. The Pope
approved their life of poverty but ruled that, in matter of
preaching, Peter Waldo and his companions should have to
submit to the decision of the local bishop. The Waldensians
continued to preach, however, some say, without the
permission of the bishop or preached in dioceses that were
not appreciative of their preaching and in some locales, they
were associated with those of suspect orthodoxy. In 1184
they were condemned by the Council of Verona.
The Cathari who adopted a Manichean dualism (the
body was evil and the spirit was good but were marked as
heretical.
The Humiliati arose among wool workers and
merchants a decade before the birth of Francis. They
“humiliated themselves for God” adopting rough clothing
and untinted cloth, and developed three distinct but not
separate groups. The clerical element formed the ‘first
order,’ also included nuns solemnly consecrated to the
religious life as it was then understood; an associate of
monastic life- lay brothers and sisters, living in adjoining
houses – formed the ‘second order; the religious-worker
association of men and women remaining in the married
state comprise a ‘third order’ and Innocent III approved
them in 1201. Together with the Franciscans, they enjoyed
the popular support of the people but in the 14th century
their numbers began a slow decline and finally by 1569 the
order was suppressed by St. Pius V.
Somehow the structure of the grouping left an
impression on the penitential movement started by
Francis.
II. Francis of Assisi – 1181-1226
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Time of Political Uncertainty & Social Upheaval
Francis was born in Assisi, in the region of Umbria in 1182,
of a rich merchant family – that of Pietro di Bernadone and his
wife, Lady Pica.
Time of Political Uncertainty As Well As Time of Dramatic
Cultural Change. The feudal system with lords and fiefdoms was
the society that was diminishing and a mercantile society was
emerging. Francis was not of noble birth, but his father, a cloth
merchant, was rich. So Francis did associate with the sons of
nobles and, partied with them.
Time of Chivalry – Francis heard stories of knights rescuing ladies
fair. This Environment influenced Francis to don the armor of a
knight and go off to battle, which made his father proud.
Time When City States Had Allegiance To The Emperor Or To
The Holy See. The main reason, that Assisi was “imperial” was
that its traditional rival, Perugia, was “papal.”
III. Francis’ Conversion Process - 1206
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Francis’ “Servant or Master Dream” in Spoleto – 1205
Pilgrimage to Rome – Changing Clothes with a Beggar – Spring 1206
Embracing the Leper – Early 1206
San Damiano – Giving Money to Priest – 1206
Scene Before Mayor and Bishop Rejecting Money and Clothing – 1206
Francis is Called to Rebuild San Damiano – 1206
Francis’Approval by Innocent III – 1209
It was at this time at St. John Lateran in Rome, that Pope Innocent III authorized Francis
and his followers to live the life of a penitent and preach the Gospel.
Francis Preached the Kingdom of God
1. St. Francis’ appearance on the scene, with his strong resolution and simplicity, began the
restoration of Italian society to a Christian way of living.
2. Francis laid a spiritual foundation of a Christianity based on the simple and radical
lifestyle of the gospel of Our Lord Jesus. Society was getting tired, restless and
disenchanted with unnecessary conventions in their daily affairs.
3. These positive changes were made possible specifically because of the lay aspect of the
Third Order, whose peaceful influence was far reaching and penetrated many layers of
society.
IV. Francis’ Exhortation to His Followers
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Francis’ Exhortation to His Followers
The very first teachings that Francis set in writing addressed to the
Brothers and Sisters of Penance was the first version of the Letter to All
the Faithful (1209 – 1215) or the Volterra Letter so called because the
document was located in the City of Volterra. It was introduced with
these words: ‘These are the words of life and salvation. Whoever reads
and follows them will find life and draw from the Lord Salvation.’
It presently serves as a Prologue to the Rule of the Secular Franciscan
Order.
Letter to All the Faithful (Second Letter) Spring of 1220
It recalls Francis’ earlier exhortation to the Brothers and Sisters of
Penance and encourages its observance in light of many of the teachings of
the Fourth Lateran Council.”
The earlier exhortation (Prologue to the Rule of the Secular Franciscan
Order along with the second version, the Later Admonition and
Exhortation to the Brothers and Sisters of Penance, was St. Francis’
invitation to the gospel way of life.
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The history of the Third Order provides a few examples of individuals
who accepted the call, some of whom became saints. Some of the
earliest known tertiaries are: Count Orlando of Chiusi, the donor of
Mt. La Verna, Praxedi, the Roman recluse to whom Francis gave a habit
and cord, and Lady Jacopa de Settesoli (Brother Jacopa).
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After St. Francis’ visit with Cardinal Hugolino in 1221 and subsequent
canonical establishment of the first Secular Franciscan Fraternity, the
Third Order spread throughout the world.
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Wherever Franciscan Friars and Poor Clares were to be found, so was
the Third Order. It attracted many individuals, some of whom are well
known in the Church and throughout the world. Individuals such as St.
Louis of France, St. Ferdinand of Castile, St. Elizabeth of Hungary,
Margaret of Cortona, Angela of Foligno, St. Jean Marie Vianney (Cure d’
Ars) Petrarch, Raphael, Michaelangelo, Murillo and Christopher
Columbus. Of all the Franciscan tertiaries, 53 are canonized saints with
approximately 80 more who have been formally beatified.
V. The Four Franciscan Rules
Within the 800-year history of the Secular
Franciscan Order, four Rules were established
to help guide and govern how the laity were to
live out the Franciscan Spirituality and Charism
in the world:
The Rule of Cardinal Hugolino - 1221 - Memoriali
Propositi
 The Rule of Pope Nicholas IV – 1289
 The Rule of Leo XIII - 1883
 The Rule of Pope Paul VI – 1978
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VI. The Memoriali Propositi of 1221
It is universally accepted that 1221 is the official year in which the Third Order
began. This year reflects the canonical establishment of the Third Order by Cardinal
Hugolino. The Memoriali Propositi was the Rule given by the Cardinal to the
Brothers and Sisters of Penance, detailing how they were to live holy lives.
 Built on the concept of fraternity, that the Penitents are truly brothers and sisters,
bound together by mutual charity. Like the 2 Franciscan Orders, the Third Order is
the ‘School of the Gospel’ and demands adherence to it in thought and action.
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The Rule details the daily life of penitents regarding:
1. Modesty in dress, prohibition to take part in public entertainment
2. Rules of abstinence, fasting and prayer
3. The Divine Office & sacramental practice.
4. Prohibition to carry arms and to avoid oaths.
5. The Eucharist and meeting of the fraternity once a month.
6. Visiting the sick, burying the dead and offering prayers for them.
7. Obligation to make the last will.
8. Rules regarding the reception of new members in the fraternity.
9. The Visitor and disciplinary rule .
10. The Election of the officials of the fraternity.
VII. The Rule of Pope Nicholas IV
– Became the first Franciscan Pope on Feb. 15, 1288. The
Rule of Pope Nicholas IV in 1289 was issued with the Bull
Supra Montem.
This Rule did not add anything new to the existing Memoriali
Propositi, but gave the document more legislative style.
 The aim of the Rule was to establish a closer and juridical
relationship with friars of the First Order. The aim was
successful in that it proved to be beneficial in the early years,
but it subsequently led to an overdependence upon the First
Order. Issue arose between the Penitents and the Friars
about the friars doing the visitations to the fraternities. As a
result, Pope Nicholas IV issued another document
(Unigenitus Dei Filius, reasserting that Friars would be the
visitors.
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The Rule has 20 chapters. The contents of the individual chapters are as follows:
1.The Order of Penitents, its catholicity and obedience to the Church.
2. The reception of novices. Obligation of reconciliation with one’s neighbor. A
public profession binding the penitent to the observance of the divine
commandments. Married women need permission of their husbands to join the
Order.
3. The penitential clothing of the penitents.
4. Prohibition to take part in public entertainment and feasts.
5. Penitential practices of fasting and abstinence, with insistence upon the
Franciscan penitential seasons, but also with the evangelical liberty to eat
whatever is presented to them. Pregnant penitents freed from obligation of
fasting.
6. The Reception of the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist on Christmas
Day, Easter and Pentecost.
7. Prohibition to carry arms and to render military service.
8. The reciting of the canonical hours of the Divine Office, according to the
Franciscan style. Participation in the liturgy in cathedral and parish churches.
9. Obligation to draw up one’s last will.
10. The Ministers’ role to ensure that the Brothers and Sisters give witness to
peace.
11. Recourse to ecclesiastical authority to be defended against molestation by
civil authorities.
12. Prohibition to take oaths, without authorization of the Apostolic See.
13. The daily Eucharist. The monthly meeting of the fraternity, including the celebration of
the Eucharist, the preaching of the Word of God, charity to poor and sick members of the
fraternity.
14. Visiting the sick brothers and sisters once a week. A decent burial and prayers for the
deceased member of the fraternity.
15. The role of the Minister of the fraternity.
16. The Visitator of the fraternity, a member of the Order of Friars Minor, with the power
to correct the shortcomings of the fraternity and to expel who rebel against obedience.
17.An exhortation to avoid the scandal of division in the fraternity.
18. The Ordinary or Visitator can dispense individual members of the fraternity from the
ecclesiastical norm of abstinence.
19. The disciplinary measures to be taken in the case of disobedient members of the
fraternity, including expulsion from the Order.
20. Conclusion: The obligatory nature of the Rule of the Brothers and Sisters of Penance.
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Third Order Regular. Around the turn of the century the practice of profession of
religious vows developed among those penitents living in community. This was the
decisive step in the complete ‘regularization of the order. Pope John XXII, with the Bull
Altissimo in divinis of November 18,1323, approved and praised this action which
represented an approval of the ‘regular religious life’ within the Third Order.
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During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Third Order was in crisis. To address the concerns
of the Secular Franciscans, Pope Innocent XI issued the Bull, Ecclesiae Catholicae in 1689.
This document was a commentary and adaptation of the Rule to the current times.
Although Pope Innocent XI defended the autonomy of the Third Order, the Visitator still
retained broad powers . Gradually, the Third Order was losing sight of its own identity.
VIII. The Rule of Pope Leo XIII
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In 1883 Pope Leo XIII issued a rule of the Third Order for the society of his time. It was
promulgated in the apostolic constitution Misericors De Filius of May 30, 1883.
His purpose for a new less rigorous rule was to make it more accessible and more appealing,
to more Catholics.
1. The text consisted of three Chapters, followed by another three in the form of an
appendix setting out the indulgences and privileges of Tertiaries.
2. Reduced to the bare essentials, it retained much of the old Rule [Nicholas IV] and
modified/completed whatever parts seemed outdated and excessively harsh.
He lost no opportunity during the next few years of involving the whole Catholic
episcopate in its propagation either by encyclicals or by exhortation and encouragement.
The hierarchy responded obediently to the Pontiff’s wishes, ordinary Christians
were fired with enthusiasm and within a short time there were several million Tertiaries
all over the world.
The ferment generated by the action of Pope Leo XIII was also marked by the
celebration of regional, national and international congresses, both during and after his
pontificate.
IX. International Congress
– the most important took place in Rome from 22 to 26 October, 1900.
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It was promoted by the Ministers General of the Friars Minor, the Conventuals, the
Capuchins and the Third Order Regular.
Out of the Congress two factions became clear:
1. the individualists’ who intended to preserve the Third Order’s character as an
association for Christian perfection, and
2. the socials’ who, without failing to assume the above fundamental point, wished to
direct the activity of the Tertiaries towards social issues following the directive of the
Pope.
In 1912, Pope Pius X issued Tertium Franciscalium Ordinem. In it, Pope Pius X asks the
friars to take spiritual care of the Third Order with the aim of promoting spiritual reform.
Unfortunately, this document made the Third Order excessively dependent upon the First
Order. Secular Franciscan identity became an issue again!
In the International Congress of 1921 held in Rome, the following topics were treated:
1.The sanctification of the Tertiaries
2. The running of the fraternity
3. The Franciscan reform of society
4. Promotion and apostolate
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The major output of the 1950 International Congress was the declaration:
Votum 10. The Ministers General’s response to the request by the national
fraternities to better define Votum 10 resulted in the following statement, as
part of larger response:
1. Of the importance of the Franciscan Third Order toward leading a
perfect Christian life with all its demands, especially
at these present
times;
2. Of the religious and social activity of the Third Order,
3. Of our (Ministers General’s) grave duty and responsibility with
regard to providing for it and promoting collaboration
and coordination of
all forces.
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[Item 3 was welcomed by the Tertiaries: the Ministers General directed the
friars to assist the Third Order. ]
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The Ministers General also provided their brief definition of the Third Order:
“Though it is not a religious order in the strict sense of the word, the Tertiary
nevertheless shares the basic advantages of the religious life. He enjoys in fact:
1) A profession, which consecrates him morally to God,
2) A rule, to serve as a discipline for him
3) A special spirit to sustain and inspire him.
X. Declaration of Pope Succeeding Pope
Leo XIII: All of them recommended the Third
Order to the Catholic world
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Pope Pius X who succeeded Pope Leo XIII declared on Sept. 8, 1912 in Tertium
Franciscalium, that the Third Order does not differ from the other two (First and Second
Order of St. Francis) in nature, but only in so far as it pursues the same purpose peculiar
to itself and that “Personal sanctification, a movement inward, was seen as their duty.”
Pope Benedict XV clearly stated in Sacra Propendiem, January 6, 1921: ‘He (St. Francis)
founded the Order of Tertiaries, an Order in the true sense of the word, not indeed
bound like the
other two by religious vows, but distinguished by the same simple life
and practice of penance.’
Pope Pius XI on April 30, 1926 stated in his encyclical Rite Expiates, ‘The general
restoration of peace and morals was advanced very much by the Third Order, which was
a religious order indeed, yet something unexampled up to that time, in so far as it was
not bound by vows, while
it offered all men and women living in the world, a means
of both observing the
commandments of God and of pursuing Christian
perfection.”
Pope Pius XII in his discourse to the Tertiaries of Italy on July 1, 1956, said: “You are an
Order: a lay Order, but truly ‘an Order in the true sense of the word,’ as our predecessor
Benedict XV of holy memory called it.”
All the sovereign pontiffs since Leo XIII have again and again recommended the Third
Order to the Catholic world. All of them, as well as the predecessor of Leo XIII, Pope Pius
IX, and Pope John XXIII have also set an example by joining the ranks of the Franciscan
Tertiaries themselves.
The Third Order remained basically a devotional society over the years.
XI. The Pauline Rule of 1978 – our present Rule
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Many during the 1950 Congress voiced their concern for an updating of Pope Leo XIII’s Rule.
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In 1957, the Third Order was given new General Constitutions with the aim of renewing the contents
of the Rule and giving the Order a spiritual, social and apostolic orientation.
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In November 1965, the revisions of the current Rule began with the request of the four Franciscan
Commissaries General, now known as the General Assistants to the SFO.
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The request for revision was also to the Constitutions and the Ritual.
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In March 1966 shortly after the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, the Ministers General gave
their blessings to begin work on the formulation of a new Rule for the Third Order.
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The request for changes were approved and so began the process to update the SFO documents to
our current version.
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Various commissions had worked on the revisions and by June 24, 1978
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Pope Paul approved the new Rule and issued with it the Apostolic Letter, Seraphicus Patriarca.
The Rule presents “the spirituality of the Secular Franciscans, at least as it had been defined within the
Rule Project:
1. To Live the Gospel
2. Following Francis
3. Through Conversion/Metanoia
4. In Community
5. As Seculars
6. In Life Giving Union with All Franciscans
The transition from a “less devotional” Order to a “more apostolic” Order
was helped by the National Fraternity Council of the USA with the
creation of 4 Apostolic Commissions. Currently this has been updated to
JPIC (Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation) to conform and
implement the Seven themes of the Catholic social teachings from USCCB.
 The new Rule abrogated all other rules and gave the Third Order a new
name, changed the previous name of, Third Order of St. Francis, to the
Secular Franciscan Order.
 The insertion by the Ministers General of Francis’ Earlier Exhortation
as a Prologue to the Rule keeps the freshness of the Franciscan Spirit
and Charism in every Secular Franciscan heart.
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The Rule is preceded by two letters, the first from the four Franciscan
General Ministers and the second, a letter of Pope Paul VI’s approval issued
by then Secretary of State John Cardinal Villot. The four branches of the
First Order, all participated and assisted in the new Rule and the respective
four ministers general of the Franciscan Family, Fr. Constantine Koser,
OFM, Fr. Vitale M. Bonmmarco, OFM Conv, Fr. Paschal Rywalski, OFM Cap
and R. Roland Faley, TOR, issued a letter to the Secular Franciscan Order
of the approval of the new rule. In it, they collectively acknowledged the
work of the SFO’s participation of the new rule, encouraged all Secular
Franciscans with it and offered their continued support to walk together in
the way of the Lord.
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The Ritual was approved on March 9, 1984.
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Definitive approval of the General Constitution was on December 8, 2000.
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The International Statute was approved on November 22, 2002.
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The updates to the official documents of the Secular Franciscan Order was
also accompanied by an expectation and encouragement from the Church,
specifically Pope John Paul II, whose address of November 22, 2002 to the
Secular Franciscan Order at the 10th General Chapter, stated:
“The Church expects from the unique Franciscan Secular Order a great
service to the cause of the Kingdom of God in the world today. She wants
your Order to be a model of organic, structural and charismatic union at all
levels, so as to present yourself to the world as a ‘community of love’ (SFO,
Rule, art. 26). From you, Secular Franciscans, the Church awaits a courageous
and consistent witness of Christian and Franciscan life that aims at building a
more fraternal and evangelical world for the realization of the Kingdom of God.
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“THE UPDATED RULE ‘ADAPTS THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER TO
THE NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE HOLY CHURCH IN THE
CONDITIONS OF CHANGING TIMES.”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. FUN MANUAL - A Brief History of the Secular Franciscan Order and Its Rules by
William Wicks, SFO
2. www.bspenance.org/The_Rule of_1221
– Brothers and Sisters of Penance of St. Francis – Franciscan Connection
3. www.bspenance.org/Franciscan_connection
- Our Connection to the Franciscan Orders
4. www.ofs/ofsstpeters.com/history
- Order Franciscan Secular; St. Peter’s Fraternity
5. The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order 1978
6. The Franciscan Journey by Lester Bach, OFM Cap.
7. St. Francis of Assisi – Omnibus of Sources
PAX ET BONUM
Ana T. Graciano, OFS